India threatens to ban BlackBerry over corporate email access

New Delhi: Expressing dissatisfaction over Research In Motion's stand on accessing of its enterprise email, the Indian government has given a March 31 deadline to the Blackberry maker to provide a working solution for the encrypted corporate emails.

India's Minister of State for Communications and IT, Sachin Pilot said in a written answer in the Parliament that Indian security agencies are not satisfied with RIM's offer of access to Blackberry Messenger (BBM) services data.

RIM had earlier offered access to its consumer services, including its Messenger services but the Indian security agencies maintained their tough stance on encryption keys needed for the lawful access to its corporate email.

While RIM claims it is not technologically possible to provide complete access to corporate emails, the government agencies demands a same formula that the handsets maker has with other countries such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, China and the U.S. to access enterprise services.

The fate of BlackBerry in India seems to be in limbo as it is learned that the government might go for the extreme step to ban its operations in India if its conditions are not met by March 2011.
The Indian government fears that the terrorists and other insurgent forces could use encrypted services to co-ordinate attacks on the country.

Post your Comment

1:
Our Government has a habbit of delaying things which even have clear matters and can b settled. It is all because they bargain and make money at cost of of human lifes, country secutrity, and morality. Otherwise incidences like Kargil , Mumabi Taj Hotel- Gate Way of India to name a few leave apart CWG , Radia , blah , blah , blah . Our senior politicians train new innocent policians in same schools and thus years after years political PG , Ph D degrees are given to next generation and a Dr.Man Mohan Singh is made. If any one thinks he is innocent it is the biggest of flaws in our systems of thougths. We have been proved jokers in front of whole world due to this man and his government. After so many months of trials we couldn't prove PAK that it was their hands in Mumbai case ? Absurd. Congress takes money from PAK also it seems to raise party funds. All disgusting . But days are numbered . Lets not take India for granted. If it can happen in Egypt , Libiya

2:
We should ban it if we are compromising the security of the country. When US can intercept the corporate mails for its security then why not India? Every country's government have right and duty to protect the country from any kind of attacks. We can do anything to protect India from terrorists. I am a user of Blackberry and I am ready to sacrifice the comfort BB gives if it is endangering the country's security....Jai Hind.

3:
This is very serious issue. India must take a tough stance to ban balckberry operation. Terrorists and Jihadi elements are looking forward to jeopardise indian security in the wake of cricket world cup. No corporate organizations profit is bigger than Indian concerns for security and safety.....Jai Hind